EVOLUTION OF VOLATILE PRODUCTS FROM GOYNUK (TURKEY) OIL SHALES BY TEMPERATURE-PROGRAMMED PYROLYSIS

A fixed-bed reactor was used to pyrolyse small samples of oil shale pa rticles under an inert gas flow (argon). A special sampling technique was used for collecting organic products eluted from the reactor at di fferent temperatures and time intervals. The pyrolysis products were a nalysed by capillary gas chromatography and the total product evolutio n rate was investigated as a function of temperature and time. The max imum volatile product evolution temperature was similar to 440 degrees C. The aliphatic hydrocarbon content of the pyrolysis products was ch aracterized and classified by carbon number. In addition, the performa nce of the experimental system was assessed by a carbon balance. The r ecovery of total organic carbon as organic volatile products, CO2 and coke was determined. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.